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Page 1: Is the ‘missing generation’ still missing?

changing church Is the ‘missing generation’

still missing?

Page 2: Is the ‘missing generation’ still missing?

First published in the United Kingdom 2021

Evangelical Alliance

176 Copenhagen Street

London

N1 0ST

© Evangelical Alliance 2021

All rights reserved. No part of this booklet may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,

recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without

permission in writing from the publisher.

The author and publisher have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of

external websites, email addresses and resource suggestions included in

this book. Neither the author nor publisher are responsible for the content or

continued availability of these sites and resources.

Unless otherwise noted scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible,

New International Version Anglicised Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 Biblica.

Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, an Hachette UK company.

All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a registered trademark of Biblica UK trademark

number 1448790.

Evangelical AllianceThe Evangelical Alliance joins together hundreds of organisations, thousands of

churches and tens of thousands of individuals to make Jesus known.

Representing our members since 1846, the Evangelical Alliance is the oldest

and largest evangelical unity movement in the UK. United in mission and voice,

we exist to serve and strengthen the work of the church in our communities and

throughout society.

Highlighting the significant opportunities and challenges facing the church

today, we are committed to sharing fresh ideas, celebrating best practice and

catalysing innovation throughout the evangelical community and beyond.

The Evangelical Alliance. A company limited by guarantee registered in

England & Wales No. 123448

Registered Charity No England and Wales: 212325, Scotland: SC040576

Registered Office: 176 Copenhagen Street, London, N1 0ST

The Missing Generation 2

Page 3: Is the ‘missing generation’ still missing?

ContentsAn introduction: Why this? Why now? 4

The ‘not so missing generation’? 6 Church attendance and prayer during coronavirus

Finding a place to belong 8 Engaging young adults in online church

The connected generation 11 Evangelism with young adults during coronavirus

Loneliness, isolation, resilience and community 14 Discipleship of young adults during coronavirus

Playing our part 18 Young adults and social engagement during coronavirus

Looking forward A new church for a new normal 21

The Missing Generation 3

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An introductionWhy this? Why now?

They are known as the connected generation,

the snowflake generation, the generation most

talked about and talked to. Throughout coronavirus

they have been criticised for their lack of social

distancing and commended for their compassion

and creativity. They are often at the forefront of the

clamour for change in society and will be amongst

the most affected by recent events.

Equipping the church to reach this generation of

young adults and championing intergenerational

unity is vitally important. We believe the whole

church is stronger, healthier and richer when filled

with all ages, and we tell a powerful story to the

world when we model a united church of young,

old and everyone in between.

Coronavirus has changed society. It has changed

the church and there have been devastating

effects, frustrations and challenges. But it has also

birthed extraordinary innovation and courage and

has inspired many, especially in this age group, to

explore faith and ask deeper questions.

As we emerge from this historical moment, we have

an opportunity to reimagine our habits, cultures and

practices as a church. “Is the ‘missing generation’

still missing?” is designed to help us reflect on this

as a church, listen to the voices of young adults,

and ask the right questions as we seek to create

a thriving community for all generations and

opportunities for significant numbers of 20s and

30s to come to faith.

What is included?This resource pulls together in-depth analysis of

research in this area of ministry and extensive

conversations and interviews with hundreds of

church leaders, young adults, practitioners and

academics. It will cover issues from social media

to racial injustice, harsh realities, good news

stories and transformative innovations. We hope it

provides valuable insight and sparks innovation for a

new season.

The Missing Generation 4

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“Is the ‘missing generation’ still missing?” will do three things:1. Present and analyse several different pieces

of research conducted during the pandemic

to explore trends in how young adults have

been engaging with church, prayer and other

activities.

2. Tell stories of how 20s and 30s have become

Christians during this season and share case

studies of how churches in a variety of settings

have responded.

3. Ask questions that enable us to learn from the

season and create cultures and structures that

will help young adults to belong and be reached

with the good news.

It will do these three things in four key areas:

1. Church

2. Evangelism

3. Discipleship

4. Community engagement

This booklet is part of a wider resource and at

various points gives the opportunity for readers

to dig deeper into a subject through a series of

articles and videos exploring specific topics. If you

have further reflections or would like someone

from the young adults team to facilitate a bespoke

conversation with your church, you can drop us

a line here.

The Missing Generation 5

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The ‘not so missing generation’? Church attendance and prayer during coronavirus

Just over 10 years ago, the Evangelical Alliance

released the Missing Generation, due to the dearth

of 20s and 30s in many churches of. Its findings

are still the experience of many churches today. In

contrast we should find the following findings from

this piece of Savanta: Comres research from 2020

encouraging:

A few headlines warrant immediate comment:

• It suggests that the coincidence of the impact

of the pandemic and the increased accessibility

of church services have led to these high

proportions of engagement.

• It is striking and encouraging for the purposes

of this resource that engagement in both prayer

and church attendance has been higher for

young adults than any other age group.

• It is not all good news, however; a significant

proportion of this generation is engaging less

than before.

When reflecting on figures like these it is important

to tread the fine line between and unquestioning

optimism and jaded cynicism. What these figures

do not signify is that there will be millions of new

young adults who will be waiting outside of the

doors of our churches ready to worship as we return

to normal. But they do tell us that the pandemic has

caused huge numbers of this generation to engage

more with church and to pray for the first time.

Therefore, to some extent, we should no longer

refer to them as ‘the missing generation’.

One in twoyoung adults have prayed

regularly (online or offline) during

the coronavirus pandemic.

One in twoyoung adults have attended

services (online or offline) during

the coronavirus pandemic.

(These figures are backed by further research.

We have provided a more detailed analysis in

the appendix)

The Missing Generation 6

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Take it further Read article at:

Getting started with social media

Deeper analysis:

Appendix: A deeper look at the research:

young adults, coronavirus and the church

Here are some initial questions to consider:

• Moving church online seems to have

lowered the bar of accessibility for many,

and consequently huge numbers have

accessed online services.

• How can we take young adults from

this initial point of access to a place of

belonging to our church communities?

• If our weekly church services are being

viewed by 20s and 30s who have little

or no experience of church, how might

this affect the content and style of our

weekly meetings?

• One in ten of our young adults have

engaged less with church during

this season. How might we prioritise

reengaging them as we emerge from the

pandemic and its restrictions?

The Missing Generation 7

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Finding a place to belong Engaging young adults in online church

We have much to be proud of in the way we,

as a church, have responded to the impact of

coronavirus. One of the fundamental questions we

have had to ask ourselves is how we adapt to not

being able to meet physically. As a result, there has

been much innovation and many lessons learned.

These are some of the common themes that

have emerged as young adults and leaders have

reflected on what has worked:

All inA key characteristic of this generation is a desire not

just to consume church services but to play a part

in church life. Online church has both increased and

decreased levels of participation for young adults.

In some settings livestreaming has meant fewer

people involved and room for interaction, whilst in

other places, Zoom gatherings have meant more

have been able to join in.

Some of the key elements of church services have

been innovatively transferred and translated into a

digital space by preachers and worship leaders. 20s

and 30s have particularly appreciated components

where they have been invited to interact rather than

passively consume and skip through the bits they

don’t like. Effective elements have included:

• Using the technology to interact with the

preacher using live questions in an interview

format or a conversational Zoom after

the service.

• Encouraging kinaesthetic engagement with

everyday objects, such as lighting a candle or

making something, has given greater depth to

worship than watching a performance.

All ageAt times during the pandemic an unhelpful narrative

has emerged highlighting increasing divisions

between generations. Conversely, the church has

represented one of the few places in society where

all ages have consistently met for community. The

importance of the church as intergenerational

family cannot be overstated. Churches that have

thrived during this season have been active in

creating space for all ages at the leadership table

and found ways to facilitate relationships across the

generations.

All weekRestrictions on meeting in buildings have resulted

in a range of interesting trends in how young adults

engage with church meetings. Some have found

that while Sunday online meetings have been

underattended, midweek groups have thrived

beyond expectations. When speaking to young

adults, they have spoken of skipping through

church livestreams for the most helpful content and

using multiple sources of spiritual input throughout

the week. These trends raise some interesting

questions for our weekly rhythms and meetings.

The Missing Generation 8

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Some questions to consider around changing church with 20s and 30s in mind:

• How interactive are your church

gatherings? What might encourage people

to participate more and feel they have a

part to play?

• Are 20s and 30s represented on your

church’s leadership team? How might

pathways be developed that increase

involvement in this area?

• How might coronavirus enhance what

we do on Sundays and encourage us to

think more intentionally about moments of

connection throughout the week?

Case study: The Well, SheffieldMarjorie and Nick Allen planted the Well,

a new Baptist church, at the centre of the

student quarter in Sheffield in 2015. From the

beginning, the Well set out to be ‘church for

the unchurched’, with a particular heart for

students and young adults. As such, prior

to the pandemic, the team spent much of its

time on the streets engaging with those in

the local area. However, with the introduction

of COVID-19 restrictions and lockdown these

interactions have been limited. The Well has

responded by increasing its online presence

through livestreams, podcasts, online small

groups, setting up mentoring partners, pre-

recorded morning devotions and online Alpha

courses. Consequently, the Well has seen

real growth, even in the midst of a pandemic.

Those who previously left any form of church

have returned; others have found faith for the

first time and then almost immediately joined

rotas to serve their new church community; for

some it has been a season of strengthening

their relationship with God. Marjorie says, “A

huge amount of our response has been around

making connection with people because that’s

been the battle at a time of social distancing and

isolation. The Father’s heart is never that people

are disconnected. The church should be the

opposite spirit of that: connection with God and

connection with each other.”

You can find an extended interview with

Marjorie here.

The Missing Generation 9

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In their own words – young adults share their own story:My church has used Zoom to host Sunday

services and midweek meetings, which has

definitely been a new experience for everyone.

At first, I was concerned that social interaction

would be limited; however, I’ve found that a lot

of people are far more comfortable interacting

with people on a screen than I’d originally

thought. Although physical meetings are missed,

online church has meant that services are more

accessible to a greater number of people, for

example, my younger brother is able to attend

services whilst living away at university. I’m also

finding that I would be more likely to tune into an

online midweek meeting on Zoom than make the

effort to go to the meeting in the church after a

day’s work.

For me, there are two negative consequences

of online church. I’m finding myself enjoying

the comfort of an online service from my living

room more than attending church to enjoy in-

person fellowship. Also, it is nearly impossible to

have an in-depth one-on-one conversation or

catch up with someone on Zoom in front of the

whole church.

– Andrew, Northern Ireland

Take it further Read articles at:

Virtual foyers and Zoom handshakes:

how young adults are finding new

churches when they can’t walk

through the doors

Culture, discipleship and hope at

The Well church, Sheffield

Is it time to review the way we worship?

The Missing Generation 10

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The connected generationEvangelism with young adults during coronavirus

With regard to evangelism amongst 20s and 30s,

there are both very real challenges and significant

encouragements related to the pandemic. To begin

with, it is worth noting that, compared to other age

groups, belief in God is lowest amongst this age

group: YouGov found that 35 per cent of 25-39 year

olds believe in a god or higher power, below the

national average of 43 per cent.1

That said, it is precisely this generation that has

been exploring attending church and praying more

during coronavirus. There have been thousands of

Alpha, Christianity Explored and other evangelistic

courses run online during the pandemic, with

significant numbers of guests in their 20s and

30s. As we have spoken to church leaders and

evangelists across the UK, two further themes

have emerged.

Firstly, a number of stories of people coming to

faith without the involvement of an evangelist or a

church initiative; these people have seemingly just

been drawn to God and have found a church on the

internet. Second, significant numbers of Christian

young adults have made time for, looked out for

and shared faith with friends, especially those for

whom coronavirus has caused them to find life more

difficult. These have been the big themes of how

20s and 30s have been becoming Christians during

the pandemic; good online content and faithful

friendship are having a considerable impact.

The connected generationThe mantra “hands, face, space” has meant physical

distancing but not necessarily social isolation. Many

have found that whilst lockdown has meant that

they spend less time with lots of people they would

normally see regularly, they have instead spent

more time with others. Many are working from home

with housemates and have got to know neighbours

better. These ‘pressure cooker’ moments and the

sense of a common experience on the journey

through coronavirus have meant stronger relational

bonds and have led to deeper conversations and

opportunities to talk about faith. Today’s young

adults are the most connected generation in history.

They crave authenticity and relationship. It is no

surprise that these relationships have been core to

people coming to faith at this time.

A lower barAlongside the growth in deeper relationships, the

fact that church and evangelistic courses have

been online has made inviting people to events

and community easier. An online Alpha course, for

example, is more accessible to parents of young

children, people working from home or those

wanting to explore a bit more anonymously. Running

evangelistic courses and church online has also

meant that people can join meetings from anywhere

in the world, and many young adults have taken the

opportunity to invite non-Christian friends to events

who would not normally be able to attend as they

live hundreds of miles away.

1 How religious are British people? | YouGov

The Missing Generation 11

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Some questions to consider for the future landscape of evangelism to 20s and 30s:

• If relationships are the currency of young

adults’ lives, and most people come to

faith through a friend or family member,

how might we do more to equip and

inspire this generation to share their faith

with their friends? How might we help

facilitate a culture that helps people be the

best friends they can be?

• If people encounter Jesus and search

for a local church, how will they find us?

What is our presence like on social media?

Do our websites tell our story well and

communicate to young adults that this is a

place where they can belong?

• Are we running regular activities or

courses that people can invite their friends

to? Are we encouraging people to do so

and modelling a culture of inviting others?

Case study: Issy’s storyIssy is a second-year student at the

University of Leicester studying physics.

She became a Christian during the first

coronavirus lockdown back in March 2020.

Having occasionally gone to church when

she was a child and then stopping for many

years, Issy found herself engaging with

Christian content on video-sharing social

networking service Tik Tok at the beginning

of lockdown. This began her journey towards

faith. In her words she describes this as an

introduction “to amazing videos uploaded

by young adults which introduced me to

Christianity in a way I hadn’t seen it before

and in a way I hadn’t expected”. This new

interest led Issy to speak to a Christian friend

who invited her to go on an Alpha course.

She started reading the Bible and by the

end of the course had decided to become

a Christian. She has since joined a church

and intends to help them run their new Alpha

course this year.

You can see an extended interview

with Issy here.

The Missing Generation 12

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In their own words – young adults share their own story: Looking for God and for Jesus was something

that I didn’t plan to do, it just happened. A

friend started sharing sermons from church

on Sunday mornings [on social media] and I

just started watching it from that and I found

it really appealing. I felt that every single time

the things being talked about seemed to be

talking to me directly, which was powerful for

me. So I started to pray, I took it one step at

a time, I got myself a Bible. It got profound

within myself. Since then I had a dream, and

this dream was the day when I knew that I

wanted to be a Christian, that my love for

Jesus would be never-ending.

– Kiran, West Midlands

Take it further Read articles at:

Increasing the ‘R number’ of the church:

equipping and inspiring young adults to

share faith during coronavirus

Friendship during the pandemic: why our

relationships really matter at this time

Discipling young adults for the

post-COVID world

The Missing Generation 13

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Loneliness, isolation, resilience and communityDiscipleship of young adults during coronavirus

With such a dramatic change to the circumstances

in which we live and our ability to gather, there

has been an inevitable impact on the patterns and

ways in which disciples are formed. Here are a few

headlines from the Savanta:Comres research:

• Some young adults are attending church more,

some are attending less. For a significant

number of 20s and 30s (two in ten), the

pandemic has meant less engagement in church.

For one in ten, there has been increased

engagement.

• The stats are similar for prayer. Two in ten

have prayed less, and the one in ten have

prayed more.

Both these findings point to the fact that, for some,

coronavirus has led to increased spiritual health and

for others, their spiritual health has decreased. As

a church it will be important to us to observe the

cultures that have been created that have helped

make disciples during this season and consider how

we might re-engage those whose spiritual health

has suffered. Here are some themes to consider:

Creating communityDuring this season of disconnection, intentional

relationship has been paramount for young adults.

20s and 30s in churches have thrived where

discipling relationships have been prioritised to

support, encourage and pray for one another.

Whilst some of these connections and groups

have emerged organically, the most effective

churches created culture and structures to make

these possible. This meant that fewer people

were left behind and relationships were more

likely to be intergenerational. How people have

met up has varied in terms of size (pairs, triplets,

sixes etc) and context depending on government

guidelines (in person, outside, on Zoom), but it has

been the intentionality to make it happen and do

so intergenerationally that has had a significantly

positive impact on disciple making.

Discovery of disciplinesIt is perhaps surprising that people are more likely

to turn to God in times of disaster than abandon

faith entirely.

The Missing Generation 14

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For some Christian young adults, the pandemic also

appears to have had an encouraging impact on

discipleship habits. The coincidence of the enforced

difference to the pace of life, the change of pattern

of corporate worship and the intensity of the

situation have led to deeper biblical engagement

and personal prayer.

Furthermore, it has led others in this generation to

organise corporate gatherings. Press In (An evening,

online, live meeting) was organised by a group of

young adults that wanted to gather with others from

across the world to meet virtually to pray. More than

3,000 20s and 30s came together across multiple

digital platforms.

Mental wellbeing mattersOne of the frequently unseen effects of coronavirus

has been the impact on mental wellbeing. Forty-

five per cent of people feel unable to cope with

the uncertainty of the pandemic. A quarter of

people feel lonely as a result, and these feelings

of loneliness are highest (as high as 38 per cent)

amongst young adults.2

The church has begun to respond to these needs,

with more churches providing mental wellbeing

support for people now than at the beginning

of the pandemic.3 But this is another area that

could provide a helpful way of connecting with

young adults.

Some questions to consider around discipleship of 20s and 30s:

• In your context, how could intentional

groups be set up between young adults

and others in the church? What would the

best size and format be? Consider how

these could be intergenerational and

promote meaningful, catalytic friendships

across age groups.

• How can we better equip younger

generations in spiritual disciplines,

especially taking account of the pressures

of family and other challenges of the stage

of life they are in?

• How can we as a church serve and help

people in the area of mental wellbeing?

How can we especially support the

lonely and provide regular moments of

connection?

2 Wave 8: Late November 2020 | Mental Health Foundation

3 https://www.eauk.org/changing-church/autumn-survey/

executive-summary

Particularly striking has been the figure that

one in 20 adultshave started praying for the first time

during the crisis.

The Missing Generation 15

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Case study: Intergenerational discipleship pairs and triplet TuesdaysLighthouse International ChurchLighthouse International Church in Southampton

has made the intentional decision to pair its

students with families from within the life of the

church so that young adults are also able to get

to know people in the area outside their peer

group. Riyah, who moved to Southampton to

study, noted that before she started university,

she didn’t really know what she wanted from a

new church, but what she found at Lighthouse

was family. She says, “Being part of a church

where there are people who have loved Jesus

for most of their lives or for not so long, from all

walks of life, with an array of different stories, has

been one thing in all my time at university that I

will never forget. It was the church that held me

when life felt hard and I was drowning in lectures

and assignments. It was the kindness of my new

family that fed me and prayed on their knees

with me. It was the church that rejoiced with me.

I didn’t need a student service or lots of socials.

I needed a family and God was so good to

provide that.”

Cornerstone ChurchBefore the pandemic, Cornerstone Church

in Swansea had small groups of around 15

mostly 17-25 year olds in each that met every

week. When restrictions were put in place,

the church quickly realised that, not only were

these groups too big to meet in person, they

were also too large for successful Zoom calls.

In September, the church decided to split these

groups into triplets. This meant that, when they

were allowed, triplets could meet face to face

as social distancing was easier, and when they

couldn’t do that, many found Zoom calls within

their triplets to be more engaging than having a

large number of people on a screen. Chloe, part

of the team at the church, believes that this has

meant young adults have gone deeper with one

another, have been able to take more initiative

and ownership over their own small group,

are now happier trying out new things such as

praying for or prophesying over one another, and

that, importantly, everyone is taken care of and

accounted for.

The Missing Generation 16

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In their own words – young adults share their own story:

What has been great about having a

prayer triplet this term is that those of

us in the group have found it much easier to

be vulnerable with each other. The smaller

number has encouraged those in the group

to be open and welcome accountability.

Plus, there is almost an expectation each

week that we’ll freely share and discuss the

deeper topics.

– Nathan, Wales

We started out in the early months of 2020 as

a place of prayer, fellowship and exhortation for

25 young adults mobilised by a burden to come

together and pray. We started to see God’s

hand move powerfully amongst us and we were

emboldened to expand the audience. This has

subsequently mushroomed into a movement on

four continents across the world, ministering to

thousands across multiple media platforms.

The major source of encouragement to me

during this period has been the realisation

that God can use any situation to grow His

kingdom. Necessity has truly been the mother

of invention, and our shared desire to see God’s

kingdom established on earth has resulted in a

connection forged across time zones that would

not have been so in normal times. My prayer is

that we continue to open up our hearts to the

endless possibilities of God’s power even in our

present time.

– Ayo, London

Take it further Read articles at:

Laying the foundations: young adults

and biblical literacy

The Missing Generation 17

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Playing our partYoung adults and social engagement during coronavirus

Coronavirus has demonstrated both the acute

needs of so many people and the ability of the

church to play its part in meeting those needs.

Since the crisis began, almost all churches have

been working to support the vulnerable in their

communities,4 and a recent study of the Church of

England alone calculated the financial value of such

work at £12.4bn.5 This kind of activity matters to

20s and 30s. It is characteristic of this generation to

want to know whether something works. One young

adult during a recent seminar put it like this: “The

gospel has to look like something.” Alpha founder

Nicky Gumbel surmises, “ [They] want to know what

the church is doing about [suffering]. If the church is

doing nothing and is not engaged in social action

against homelessness, poverty, racial injustice,

climate change or any of these issues, young

people are not going to be very interested.”6

This generation cares about social impact. 20s and

30s are more likely to start a business that prioritises

social impact than making a profit.7 Their desire for

impact is also locally rooted; they are far more likely

to give to local charities than any other.8 It therefore

matters that church is making a difference in their

local community in a practical way that addresses

the needs of that community. Moreover, in many

churches it has been 20s and 30s at the forefront

of the response during the pandemic. At KXC

(King’s Cross Church, London), the 50 foodbank

volunteers were almost entirely made up of young

adults, many of whom joined in when they found

themselves furloughed or couldn’t find work. At St

Boniface Church, Birmingham, an intergenerational

team made craft and education bags for families

who were struggling to home school their children.

These are a tiny fraction of countless stories

of engagement, partnership and generosity;

and in much of the narrative, this generation is

playing its part.

It is also important to acknowledge the impact of social

justice and environmental issues that have arisen

during the last year. The fact that this generation is

more globally connected than any other before them

and has an instant stream of up-to-date newsfeeds

means that world events and campaigns have a

greater impact than ever before. The murder of

George Floyd in the US in May 2020 highlighted the

critically important issue of racial injustice, and younger

4 https://www.eauk.org/resources/what-we-offer/reports/changing-church

5 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/18/churches-tally-up-their-value-to-society-at-124bn

6 https://theconnectedgeneration.com/key-findings/

7 http://elitebusinessmagazine.co.uk/people/item/millennial-entrepreneurs-driven-by-social-cause-when-launching-a-business-

instead-of-making-profit

8 https://theconnectedgeneration.com/key-findings/

The Missing Generation 18

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Some questions to consider around this area of social engagement and young adults:

• In responding to the needs of our

communities, are we listening to the voices

of 20s and 30s, inside and outside the

church family, about both what the needs

are and how we can best respond?

• How effective are we at telling the story

of what God is doing through the church

locally and nationally so that all ages feel

part of all that is going on?

• When we respond to crises, how

intentional are we at inviting all ages to

play their part? Are there opportunities

to strategically grow intergenerational

relationships as people serve together on

social engagement projects?

• How often do we teach on issues of justice

and directly address issues of racial and

social inequality?

Case study: Pollok Baptist ChurchA foodbank in Glasgow which is run by

Pollok Baptist Church delivered to more

than 100 families every week during the first

lockdown. In total, the team served more than

150,000 meals to vulnerable people during

the pandemic. Rev Dave Murray says that

the church has “been blown away by God’s

grace, protection, provision and blessing as

we have built relationships with strangers,

shared the message of love and acceptance,

and provided food to the most vulnerable”. In

this church, as in so many, young adults have

been at the forefront of the initiatives.

age groups were at the heart of the protests that took

place throughout 2020.9 It has been a 22-year-old

footballer who has been at the forefront of a campaign

in the UK to ensure families in poverty have enough to

eat during the school holidays. Because these issues

are both on the radar of 20s and 30s and are close to

the heart of God, we should consider as a church how

much we teach on them, discuss them and speak up

on them. Listening to the perspectives of young adults

will be important in this conversation.

9 https://www.ft.com/content/effbfc03-61f3-4f99-910c-

8befe46a6c08

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In their own words – young adults share their own story:The King’s Cross foodbank was started in

April 2020 in response to the COVID-19

pandemic, and since then many families and

individuals regularly receive weekly food

parcels in our local area.

Our 50 volunteers are made up almost

entirely of young adults, including the

foodbank manager and core team, many of

whom stepped up when they couldn’t find

work or were furloughed.

Across our three teams – packing, delivery,

referral – many volunteers have built up

trusted relationships with clients with whom

they regularly connect. We are now looking

to expand the foodbank to address the

multidimensional needs we see in our area,

including digital poverty, unemployment and

loneliness.

– Emma, London

Take it further Read articles at:

Stories of hope

Hearts for justice: why young adults

want missional churches

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Looking forward A new church for a new normal

When having walked through a season of adversity,

challenge and change, you are never quite the

same. Eventually, the calm will come after the

coronavirus storm and we will have a moment to

look back on lessons learned, wounds received and

victories won. We will look forward to uncovered

faces, singing voices and warm embraces. As we

do, we must reflect on what is important, what is

effective and what must change for the season

ahead. Throughout the centuries, the church at its

best has continually held fast to the unchanging

message of the gospel and has simultaneously

changed its methods and postures to reach a world

that so desperately needs it.

• What have we missed from pre-pandemic times

that we will treasure, welcome back and be more

grateful for because of its absence?

• What did we do that we have learned is no

longer necessary or helpful?

• What has this season taught us about the culture

we are living in? What innovations and creative

responses do we need to hold on to?

• Who are the people we have connected with

that we might not have otherwise encountered?

• What relationships need to be re-established?

• What has God been teaching us as a church

about our posture and mission to the community

He has placed us in? How is He leading

us forward?

We hope that this resource has given you some

insight and helped you answer some of these

questions with relation to young adults. We hope

that you have been encouraged by stories of hope,

inspired by some of the innovations and challenged

by some of the questions.

As the Evangelical Alliance we are so grateful for all

you are doing and have been praying for you and

cheering you on throughout this season. If we can

be of further help in this vital area of ministry, please

do not hesitate to get in touch at [email protected].

Take it further This booklet is supplemented by an

ongoing series of blogs, interviews

and articles. Please find the complete

collection here.

Is the ‘missing generation’ still missing?

is part of Changing Church, a wider

suite of resources and research from

the Evangelical Alliance, which aims to

equip and inform the church throughout

and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.

You can find the full range of media in

this area here.

Is the ‘missing generation’ still missing?

is a precursor to a wider resource that

will be released in July 2021. You can

sign up for updates on the release

of this publication and more from the

Evangelical Alliance in this area of

ministry here.

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AppendixA deeper look at the research: young adults, coronavirus and the church

Overall, reports around young adult faith during

the coronavirus pandemic are promising. Changing

Church: Is the ‘missing generation’ still missing?

draws largely on the results of research from

Tearfund and, most recently, Durham University.

Tearfund’s prayer surveyIn May 2020, a Tearfund survey revealed that one in

three 18 to 34 year olds had watched or listened to

a religious service since UK lockdown began at the

end of March. Similarly, one in three were praying

regularly.

Durham University’s survey on ‘digital church’In July 2020, Durham University surveyed 4,306

adults aged 18+ from all walks of life to explore their

religious activities during July. Participants were

asked about a range of offline and online faith-

related activities , and 1,210 of those surveyed were

young adults in the 18-34 category. Analysis of the

data showed the following headlines:

• One in two young adults have prayed

regularly (online or offline) during the

coronavirus pandemic.

• One in two young adults have attended

a service (online or offline) during the

coronavirus pandemic.

Participants who were regularly praying/attending

services were then asked whether they had been

doing this activity more, less or the same amount

since the pandemic hit the UK. The subsequent

survey results are best described using the

following illustration:

Imagine you are standing in a room with 10 young

adults. On average, five of those young adults will

have prayed/attended service regularly.

Of that five, two will have prayed or attended the

same amount as before, two will have prayed or

attended less than before, and one will have prayed

or attended more than before.

These figures show an incredible missional

opportunity for the church but also reflect the

difficulties around discipleship at this time as some

young adults who previously attended church

before the pandemic have dropped off.

Feedback from those in ministryMany church leaders, student workers and other

professionals working with young adults have told

the Evangelical Alliance’s young adults team that

they have witnessed an increased spiritual hunger

among 20s and 30s. This is mirrored by Durham

University’s research that one in 10 young adults

who prayed or attended church in July had done

so more than before the pandemic; and this figure

will include those who have found faith for the first

time during this time. It’s also reassuring that two in

10 young adults have chosen to dig deep and stay

connected, through prayer and church attendance,

and have done so consistently despite the struggles

of the pandemic that could have led people away

from faith.

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We cannot, however, ignore the two in 10 who have

prayed and attended less than before, and who may

well have drifted in their faith. Whatever the reason

for this shift, we are seeking to begin a conversation

around how the church can increase engagement

among young adults who are engaging less

than before.

Additional researchWhile Changing Church: Is the ‘missing generation’

still missing? draws largely on these two surveys,

there are other pieces of research, all published in

the last year, that have influenced the report and the

contributors’ blogs.

Changing Church surveyThrough the Evangelical Alliance’s ongoing

Changing Church research which surveyed nearly

900 churches and organisations in October 2020

we were able to attain from 18 to 35 year olds

up-to-date responses on on how the pandemic

has affected different aspects of their Christian

life. Participants were asked a range of questions

around the areas we have addressed in this

report such as mission, discipleship and social

engagement.

Most notable findings for young adults include:

• 48 per cent of 18 to 34 year olds have

contributed to social needs through volunteering

their time during the pandemic.

• 50 per cent of 18 to 34 year olds said that a

barrier to sharing their faith is a lack of significant

relationships with people who aren’t Christian.

• 67 per cent of 18 to 34 year olds have attended

a church other than the one they attended

before the pandemic.

YouGov: “How religious are British people?”This research from YouGov, released in December

2020, provides a less positive outlook on young

adult faith amongst millennials during the pandemic.

YouGov found that 35 per cent of 25 to 39 year

olds believe in a god or a higher power, below the

national average of 43 per cent.

Whilst the results of YouGov’s survey were

published during the pandemic, the questions were

asked pre-pandemic. This might go some way to

explain the discrepancy between this survey and

the data from Durham University.

The Times: “Teenagers turn to God during the pandemic”In December 2020, The Times reported that

Generation Z (late teens and early 20s) are more

likely than millennials (late 20s and early 30s) to

believe in God. Interestingly, this article was based

on the aforementioned YouGov survey.

You will find this referenced in the interview with

Marjorie here.

The GRA:CE project reportPublished in November 2020 this report is based

on three years of research commissioned by the

Church Urban Fund and carried out by Theos Think

Tank. It explores the relationship between social

action, discipleship and church growth. While not

specifically a report about young adults, there

are many references to this age group and their

engagement with social action. Church leaders who

are looking at ways to engage with both activist-

minded young adults and their wider community as

a whole are encouraged to read this report.

You will find this referenced in Alianore’s blog on

social engagement here.

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Stories of Hope (Scotland) Stories are key to the Evangelical Alliance’s work, so

during the pandemic the unity movement gathered

a range of different stories from across the UK.

Changing Church: Is the ‘missing generation’ still

missing? is inspired by and draws upon many of

these stories of hope.

Christian Today: “Reading the Bible has given Christians hope during the pandemic”In a poll carried out by Christian Research on behalf

of the Bible Society in December 2020 47 per

cent of 24 to 34 year olds credited the Bible with

increasing their mental wellbeing. Additionally,

a third of 16 to 24 year olds said that reading the

Bible had helped them feel less lonely. This is an

encouraging piece of research on the Bible giving

people, regardless of age, hope.

A catalyst for deeper engagementOn the whole, the research is uplifting and

reassuring, but it can only show part of the story.

Our hope, though, is that Changing Church: Is the

‘missing generation’ still missing? has helped you

to explore the wider narrative of young adults’

faith during the coronavirus pandemic and acts

as a catalyst for deeper engagement with this

generation.

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